1963 FJ40 Build Thread

[MitchFJ]

xxxxxxx

 

[JohnnyC]

round mirrors and black rims


one sided directionals...probably so...just missed the double sided ones by a few moths i bet

the rear amber lights? never seen them...you will need to see how they are wired and attached...IMO they were just added on later at some point for some reason

 

[west aussie]

mitch when you got a moment is that spare 15 or 16 inch? seems to me in aust. the fj25 rim was followed by a 15 inch non split rim without hubcap clips (yours?) followed later by a 16 inch non split rim with the hubcap clips. i am a bit unsure when this changeover occured; all the early models in my aquaintance have been well circulated to say the least. any ideas aussies? what is the official american position on this? i am yet to find any evidence of hubcaps even existing in australia apart from some very early fj25 pics. no old fellow i speak to who bought tojos new ever remembers them at all ; in fact they laugh of the suggestion of tojo hubcaps but this might just be a westralian thing. the distribution here was a little different in the early days. would love to ascertain if early tojos were shipped via the east coast (and bodybuilding) of shipped direct to fremantle west aust? the later makes sense but those fj25 doors seem identical australiawide at a glance. but i digress. there are also 15 inch split rims about but i presumed (i am usually wrong) they were toyota stout?

also interested to know if your engine number matches the firewall stamping? i am yet to view a 135 motor that does but the early ones out here are all a bit battleweary. and i in pretty decicated fj45 territory. has each and every one had an engine exchange? or were such finer details overlooked during assembly? assembly where? the lone fj25 ruin of my aquaintance is unstamped on the firewall plate. think aussie25 the same he said from memory.

and as i mentioned i know nothing of fj40 - only my observations of old fj45.

bet you cant wait to have the old girl in your shed. put her straight to work!

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

Like Johnny wrote, rims were black, but that was 15" rims in the US...not sure what would have been correct for Australia. I have also seen them black in Japan.

Front bumper was pewter color, and the rear bumperetts should have been the same color as the body.

I had the rectangular mirrors on mine, but seen many with the round ones, so not sure if this was an option, so I will be going with round ones on mine.

Your front indicator lights look correct to me for your year.

"Have also spotted the left side has a square amber indicator and the right side a round amber indicator..which one is correct?" ... This would be unique to your '64, as it seems these were added on at a later date possibly due to Australia laws (never seen them on US models), so take your pick...but I would go with round ...if you really want to make them look like they belong there, I would get a set of amber bib lights to replace these with...the bib lights will look identical to your tail lights, but with an amble lens, so they wouldn't look so out of place

Have no idea about the hubcaps in Australia, but had them in the US, and Japan.

A lot of that '64 looks really nice and period correct, so if you are just looking to clean up these loose ends, I think you will have a real show stopper!!!

If you want the correct Dunlop 700R15 RK3 tires, they are still made in Indonesia, and some of us would love a set, but so far we have not be able to find anyone to export them

EDIT: This is the way I understand it, and if I missed anything, or am wrong, I hope someone steps in to correct me...hope this helps

 

[west aussie]

im sure black rims also. 15 inch aussie rims seem not to have never had the hubcap clips. how long do you think america (or aus) had 15 inch rims for? all american 15 inch non split rims have the hubcap clips i presume? really appreciating your input mudders!

 

[west aussie]

sorry i mean "to have never" "not to have ever" ok

 

[Living in the Past]

If no one has mentioned it this FJ40 had a PTO at one time. That is what the extra hole with the hinged cover is for. Bib light s were clear and wheels were black until late 67 when the 68 model came out. My every early 68 model I bought in 74 the spare tire was black and the other were grey. 62 model was the last of the cool dual lensed turn signals, so this cruiser missed it by about a year. Dobster's 65 has the Australia only tail lights that match the ones shown in the my 65 micro-fiche. Would make sense Australia would require amber turn signals and something was added at port to get them registered then Toyota installed them at the factory starting with the 65. This was a lot more work than just adding reflectors like they had to do in the US market. To get the wider two color tail lights to fit the rear crossmember of the frame had to be redesigned. I would check the two you have and see if one is older. My guess the newer one might be dated. At least in the US market we had SAE and a year molded. My guess one of the original added lights got knocked off hanging so low if not both. The outside rear view mirrors cold have been round or square. Toyota literature shows them both ways. But in the US market the driver's side is the only one that got one from the Factory until the 68 model when they moved from the tub mount to the door hinge. Then we got both sides. The engine looks correct or at least looks to be a F135. Funny Australia got the paper element while the US market got the optional oil bath filter until the 68 model. In general I would thing Australia be have more dirt dusty roads then the US. Also noticed your doesn't appear to have the PCV valve and vent off the valve cover. My early 61 has the PCV. Our FJ25s didn't, those have a vent tube off the back of the oil fill tube and a couple of slits on the top of the valve cover towards the back. Let us know what yours has when you get it. PCV stands for positive crankcase ventilation.

 

[JohnnyC]

kind looked thru and didnt see anybody mention about the seat color? definitly looks like a redue...especially since the boot it the same color

thanks for the correction on the dir lights John...i kinda thought it was a begining of the 63 year they did away with the dual lense directionals

also look at these pictures...what is this and is it coincidence?

 

[67azcruizr]

i kinda thought it was a begining of the 63 year they did away with the dual lense directionals

I was under the impression that they ended in early '63 also? I have a '63 owners manual that shows the dual sided lenses. I know some of the things that got carried over in print were not necessarily true to the vehicles vintage. My '65 parts book still has the small rear view mirror listed?

I am pretty sure that the dual lenses started in '61 though, as they are listed in both of my '61 parts catalogs.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

This is what I was thinking about for your tail lights, and those odd amber lights below the bumperettes...I know that this is not 100% true stock, but under the circumstances (Australian laws), I think it could end up looking pretty snazzy with the amber light on the inside, and being more functional by not hanging too low.

Any thoughts anyone?

PS...Gene did this on his FJ35 project, and I always thought it look good.

EDIT: LOL..I don't have photoshop, but had fun trying to add an amber light I don't think bib lights would both fit due to the bumperette, but I am sure a smaller amber light can be found to be installed here.

 

[MitchFJ]

xxxxxxx

 

[Living in the Past]

kind looked thru and didnt see anybody mention about the seat color? definitly looks like a redue...especially since the boot it the same color

thanks for the correction on the dir lights John...i kinda thought it was a begining of the 63 year they did away with the dual lense directionals

also look at these pictures...what is this and is it coincidence?

Your right seats look original. the rear seats in the last early FJ40 are still in pretty good shape, Everything esle is pretty much trashed here in the desert.

I'll make a effort to check my 62 and 63 micro-fiche to check turn signals.

Not sure what the mark is on the back. I would have to have better pictures to give a opinion. But you'll the second picture had the handles on the rear hatch to push the buttons in when opening the hatch. This really puts this one as a transition between 63 and 64. More parts are starting to look 64. Better pictures of the front seats will help those changed between the 63 and 64 model years.

This is what I was thinking about for your tail lights, and those odd amber lights below the bumperettes...I know that this is not 100% true stock, but under the circumstances (Australian laws), I think it could end up looking pretty snazzy with the amber light on the inside, and being more functional by not hanging too low.

Any thoughts anyone?

PS...Gene did this on his FJ35 project, and I always thought it look good.

EDIT: LOL..I don't have photoshop, but had fun trying to add an amber light I don't think bib lights would both fit due to the bumperette, but I am sure a smaller amber light can be found to be installed here.

I thought about doing something like this on the back of a cruiser but carry it one step further. Add a clear one for the reverse light. I remember my old 62 Chevy Impala Had round tail lights. Red/white/red.

You confused my about the FJ35 Dean. The FJ45LV he was converting to a FJ35 still had the LV lights. This picture was of his FJ40 he had put the FJ25 bib on and was trying to make look like a FJ25. Sadly it seems Gene hasn't visited Mud in qiuite a while. I know his wife was having some major health issues. I hpoe everything is okay.

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

The rims black...but not sure if I would want to powder coat...I will be painting! Same with the front bumper.

Concerning the mirrors, and all parts, always try Toyota first...you would be surprised at what they still have...and some times the same price, or even less expensive that aftermarket!! If not, there are many vendors in the states, so why not get together with some local cruiser owners, and do a group buy? Could save a lot on shipping!!

Matching the paint for the bumperettes should be as simple as removing an inner access panel from one of your doors, and getting it scanned at a good automotive paint supplier. The mirrors are supposed to be body color as well.

As for the tires, I agree with the legalities of these Dunlops, but I would still like to find a pair one day...just to have. The tire I will be eventually buying, and I mentioned this before in other threads, is the Yokohama Y742S 7R15! Yokohama Y742S

LOL...glad you liked my silly effort with those lights...and John is correct, this was one of Gene's other vehicles. Thanks John!

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

I thought about doing something like this on the back of a cruiser but carry it one step further. Add a clear one for the reverse light. I remember my old 62 Chevy Impala Had round tail lights. Red/white/red.

You confused my about the FJ35 Dean. The FJ45LV he was converting to a FJ35 still had the LV lights. This picture was of his FJ40 he had put the FJ25 bib on and was trying to make look like a FJ25. Sadly it seems Gene hasn't visited Mud in qiuite a while. I know his wife was having some major health issues. I hpoe everything is okay.

Cool car John...any pics? The three lights on the Impala were cool! My dad had a '66 Impala SS

You know what, now that you mention it, I haven't seen much of Gene at all...even his new LV seems to be on stand by. Hope they are all well

 

[west aussie]

just retreating a couple of thoughts i have seen 64 tojos both with and without pcv valves but unsure as to engine swaps over the years. a bit of a rough generalisation but typically non pcv motors seem retain the fj25 manifold stamping.

iol bath air cleaners were certainly available in australia.

 

[MitchFJ]

xxxxxx

 

[MitchFJ]

xxxxx

 

[My wife said no FJ!]

All you need is the part number, and the parts guy should be order it for you

 

[tbinzo]

wher is the pto for this FJ

the inside has a pto cover

 

[pardion]

We did not get the brake hydro booster in USA, or direct transfer shift.